Mukran: Harbor is getting deeper for bigger ships and more grain!

Mukran: Harbor is getting deeper for bigger ships and more grain!

There is currently a lot of shoveling going on at the port of Mukran on the picturesque island of Rügen. Here the harbor basin is being dredged to achieve a uniform water depth of almost 15 meters. This is likely to generate great interest in shipping, particularly in the area of ​​grain handling. Larger ships are to be attracted, which could not only benefit agriculture but also the handling of liquefied natural gas (LNG). The work began last week and is planned until the end of August or beginning of September 2025, as n-tv reports.

The main aim of these measures is to design the harbor entrance and the inner harbor basin in such a way that ships with a draft of more than 12 meters can dock without any problems. Before the construction work, there was no uniform water depth in the harbor, which significantly restricted its use. One notable aspect is that the work is not related to a previous incident in which an LNG tanker ran aground; that happened in a completely different place.

Lull in LNG transshipment

Mopo reported, less liquefied natural gas is being delivered than originally expected. Instead of the planned two terminal ships, only one is in use, which leads to a meager utilization of just five percent of Anha's capacity in the first quarter of 2025. The German Environmental Aid (DUH) is critical of the terminal and describes it as a “bad investment with a message”. The problems with the terminal are increasing because it does not represent any real benefit for the energy supply in Germany.

The federal government had already decided to build several LNG terminals on the North and Baltic Seas in 2022 in response to the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine. The LNG Acceleration Act recently came into force to accelerate the rapid construction of this infrastructure. Terminals are already in operation in Wilhelmshaven, Brunsbüttel and Lubmin, with a total capacity of around 13.5 billion cubic meters of natural gas per year. However, experts estimate that only eight percent of gas deliveries to Germany currently come via LNG tankers.

The port of Mukran in focus

The criticism of the Mukran terminal is also due to the geopolitical circumstances. The operating company plans to ship LNG to other countries, which does not support the country's security of supply. According to the DUH, Mukran is ultimately dispensable. The situation did not improve with the termination of the charter contract for one of the terminal ships in January 2025. The federal government emphasizes that the need for LNG infrastructure Cis should be planned for future hydrogen use, which could pave the way to a sustainable energy future.

The discussion surrounding the LNG terminal in Mukran clearly shows how complex the challenges of energy supply in Germany are. It remains to be seen whether the extensive renovation work in the port will lead to an economic boom. One thing is clear: In the current times, quick action is required; the course for an efficient supply structure must be set - taking all circumstances into account.